Vanuatu Flights:
Flights to Vanuatu
Vanuatu, previously known as the New Hebrides Islands, is an island nation of 83 islands situated in the South Pacific.
Vanuatu is surprisingly well connected with the world by air. The international airport is located in the capital, Port Vila (airport code: VLI), and there are a number of airlines offering flights from South Africa to Vanuatu. Flights from Johannesburg have either one or two stops depending on the airlines – South African Airways and Qantas Airways offer one stop flights, both flying via Sydney. The journey time is around 20 hours. Also Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Etihad Airways offer this route with two stops though the journey time increases quite considerably to between 37 and 46 hours.
Book a Flight To Vanuatu:
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The Tourist Attractions of Vanuatu:
As with many other South Pacific destinations, Vanuatu is primarily visited for a relaxing holiday and the sub-tropical weather, some beautiful landscapes, beaches and diving are what makes it what it is.
The islands of Vanuatu are grouped into 6 provinces, each containing two or more islands, and if you want to travel around between the islands there are flights with the local carriers or boats offering various routes. For ease, this guide has been split into the 6 provinces:
Malampa
Malampa consists of the main islands of Malakula, Ambrym and Paama and is centrally located in the Vanuatu archipelago. The main features are the two mountains of Penot and Maroum.
Penama
Penama contains the main islands of Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo and is situated to the north east of Malampa, and central-east within the archipelago.
Sanma
The islands of Santo and Malo are in the province of Sanma. Santo is the largest island in Vanuatu and the province is in the central west part of the chain. Being a larger island there’s a bit more to see and do here, for example, the capital city of the Sanma province, Luganville, offers a number of attractions nearby – diving the WWII wreck of the SS President Coolidge is very popular. Other attractions on the island include the Millennium Caves, for which you will need a guide and good footwear, and the 24 hour open-air market.
Shefa
Shefa province is south of Malampa and consists of the Shepherd group of islands and he island of Efate. You’ll find the capital and largest city of Vanuatu here, Port Vila. This is also the economic and commercial centre of Vanuatu and has an important harbour, and of course the international airport. Tourism is becoming more popular here, as with the rest of Vanuatu. Particular draws for tourists include the plethora of underwater diving opportunities. Accommodation for tourists is becoming easier to find and there’s quite a variety of accommodation types – backpacking is one market on the up!
Tafea
Tafea is the furthest south of the Vanuatu provinces and consists of the islands of Tanna, Aniwa, Futuna, Erromango and Aneityum. The biggest attraction here is the world’s most accessible volcano on Tanna!
Torba
From Tafea in the furthest south to Torba in the furthest north, Torba is the northernmost province of Vanuatu and consists of the Torres Islands and the Banks Islands.
When Should You Visit?:
The sub-tropical climate in Vanuatu means this country is a warm destination all year round and features lovely warm waters too – ranging from 22C(72F) in the winter to 28C (82F) in the summer. The air temperature ranges from a pleasant 20C (68F) to a hot 32C (90F).
The wet season on Vanuatu lasts between November and April when it’s very humid, and this period also overlaps with cyclone season which can occur between December and April.